


On The Twelfth Day of Christmas

by Tanith11



Category: Hawaii Five-O (1968)
Genre: Action, Christmas, Crime, Drama, Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-02
Updated: 2012-12-28
Packaged: 2017-11-20 02:33:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/580320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanith11/pseuds/Tanith11
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The lives of two orphaned children touches the hearts of detectives Chin Ho Kelly and Steve McGarrett as Five-O investigates a murder witnessed by one of the children twelve days before Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Silent Night, Deadly Night

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely inspired by the following:
> 
> "Small Witness, Large Crime" - Season 7 - "Hawaii Five-O"
> 
> "The Runaways" - Season 2 - "The Streets of San Francisco"
> 
> " Foundling" - Season 1 - "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman"
> 
> A BIG, BIG thanks goes to "Book 'em Again" for lending me her fanon on the Kelly family!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own "Hawaii Five-O" or its characters. All creative rights to the characters from the series belong to the original creator(s). The characters, Jessie Noah Summers and Emily Summers belong to my muse.

_Twelve days until Christmas Day, Honolulu, 1971_

The serene melody caught the attention of the middle aged oriental man behind the glass encased counter. With an impatient sigh, he carefully placed the jade pendant attached to a gold chin, on the velvet cloth in front of him and to his customer he excused himself. Walking around the counter toward the shelf facing the front window, the man reached out his hand and snatched the intricately designed, small, musical jewellery box from the delicate hands of a little girl aged five. Glaring at the child, the shop owner ushered the child away from his display of antique ornaments and dolls. "Away child! Before you break something, you hear!"

The customer standing by the counter turned to watch the scene play out with sympathy in his eyes for the young girl whose curious face reminded him of his own youngest daughter. He could see the want in the child's baby blue eyes as she reached out for the object of her enthrallment. "No!" The firm voice of the shop owner snapped and he continued to guide the child forcefully toward the store entrance. The door opened once more and a boy dressed in clothes far too large for his frame entered. "I'm sorry, mister." The boy sighed and uttered his apology as if it were a regular routine then took hold of the little girl's hand in his. To the store's only other occupant, who remained silent, the resemblance between the boy and little girl were striking. There was no doubt in his mind they were closely related. By the state of their clothing and hair and the way their eyes lacked the joyous lustre of children awaiting the arrival of Christmas Day, he could see these were children who lacked parental care and love.

"Just remember, boy, one of these days your little sister here, will break something and how will you pay for it? Any damages must be paid for!" The shop owner pointed at one of several signs placed in strategic locations around the store which read, _"All damages must be paid for."_

"Look, I said I'm sorry! She won't break anything." The teenage boy replied in as calm a voice as he could muster though he failed to hide the anger edging to the surface. Taking a deep breath he squeezed his sister's hand and led her away from the display and out the door.

"I do apologize for that Mr Kelly, but those two kids are nothing but trouble around here. They steal from the stores all along this street and get away with it! I will not have them stealing from my shop!" The aggravated shop owner vented as he moved back behind the counter. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes. I think you have made a very wise choice Mr Kelly. Your wife will have a fine gift to treasure for many years to come." Placing the pendant and gold chain set carefully into a cushioned box, the shop owner processed the sale for his customer who stowed the box straight into his jacket pocket. "Thank you Mr Lao. Merry Christmas to you and your family." Chin Ho Kelly farewelled the shop owner and turned to leave the antique store. For some reason he couldn't quite lay a finger on, the Five-O detective's mind drifted back to the two children in the store and he turned back to Mr Lao, "Who were those children? Where are their parents?"

"Bah! The girl, she come here everyday, playing with that box. Never see their parents but I hear rumors from the other shops. They steal food and clothes! Very bad for business. The cops, they do nothing!" Shaking his head, Mr Lao began dusting his shelves, forgetting that his customer was still in the store.

The Chinese detective lowered his head sadly and left the store without another word.

* * *

The faint warm glow of candles tucked away in the corners of the room provided the only source of light in the old abandoned church on Alakea Street. Two pairs of hands were busy dividing up a loaf of bread and slices of cheese between them. "Are we going to have a Christmas tree this year, Jessie?" A small voice piped up, ending the silence.

"Maybe. Better eat up, Emily. We'll be having an early night tonight. The candles need to last us another few days." The boy named Jessie replied tonelessly. He watched his little sister eat morsels of stale bread and sighed. "Hey, I got a job interview the day after tomorrow at the docks! I should be able to get us a tree and even some presents in time for Christmas when I get my first pay check. After the New Year, we'll get a place of our own. A small apartment just for us. What do you say to that, Em?" When no answer came, Jessie tipped Emily's chin up with his finger gently, to meet her gaze, "Hmmm?"

"You said that last year. And the year before." The disappointment showed, not just in her words, but the dismal expression on her small face.

"This time, I promise, Emily. I'll get this job. I have a good feeling about it! The guy said as long as I'm willing to put up with the hours and a little less pay than the older workers, he said I have a good chance." Jessie forced a smile to form on his lips and ran his fingers through the tangles of his sister's honey blond hair.

"You promise? You really mean it?" Emily's eyes shone with hope and a faint glimmer of happiness at hearing the optimism in her brother's voice.

"Yeah, really!" Jessie swallowed down his doubts painfully. He had promised so much and delivered so little. Emily amazed him with her everlasting trust and faith in him.

"Oh Jessie!" Emily squealed throwing her skinny arms up and capturing her brother around the neck. The two siblings embraced and Jessie laughed as he began tickling her sides causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles.

* * *

The candles had long been snuffed out and the sound of deep, contented breathing told fifteen year old Jessie that his sister was fast asleep. It wasn't the first time he snuck out of their makeshift home and wondered the streets. In fact he had gotten used to it. He would always return to a still sleeping Emily. Grabbing his torch and backpack, Jessie slipped on a dark hooded top over his singlet and retrieved his boots from a corner. Silent as a ghost, he crept out of the room, closing the door behind him. Making his way to the front of the Church, Jessie quickened his pace and left the building behind him as he drew his hood over his head, allowing himself to blend in with the night.

The stores along South Hotel Street had shut their doors hours ago and the street was devoid of people. Occasionally, a random car would pass by and the lone figure of a boy walking along the sidewalk would slink back into the shadows. For young Jessie Noah Summers, this was his life; hiding in the shadows, breaking into stores, picking up quarters in the gutters and pulling down clothing from the lines in back of neighboring houses. He learnt life the hard and cruel way. The way a child should never have to live. More than once he contemplated handing his sister over to the authorities but the sheer thought of her living in an orphanage and never seeing her smiling face again robbed the suggestion out of his mind. He'd already lost her once, though briefly and that was enough to almost tear him apart. For two long years he spent his days searching for a steady job to support them both. By nightfall he prowled the streets for anything he could steal to survive. He hated stealing in front of his sister but there were times the opportunities were simply too foolish to pass. He could go without food for days at a time, but he could never let his sister go a day without her meals. He also made sure she always had clean clothes to wear. Loose change he found on the streets often didn't amount to enough to buy the day's supplements and therefore were used for Laundromats. New clothes were stolen off wash lines.

Jessie crossed the alley and stopped in front of the old antique store. He was surprised to see the lights were still on, given the late hour, though the sign distinctly showed the store was closed for the day. Peering into the glass shop-front window, he saw the intricate music box that Emily was caught mesmerising each day for the last fortnight. At the sound of breaking glass and men shouting, Jessie jerked back from the window and almost fell off the curb. Quickly, he regained his footing and dashed around the corner of the store hidden in the entrance of the alley. Crouched low, Jessie slowly moved back to the front window of the store. He poked his head up just enough to see inside. He could see two men arguing with the store owner, Mr Lao. Their voices had lowered but there was no mistaking the threatening manner the two men barring Mr Lao's way, displayed. Jessie gasped when he saw one of the men produce a gun from the waist band of his blue worn out jeans. The well-built Caucasian man pointed the pistol at the diminutive oriental shop keeper and fired twice. The first bullet caught the victim high up in the chest, spinning him around upon impact, while the second entered his back. Mr Lao fell limply to the floor at the two men's feet. "C'mon let's go!" One of the men shouted and together the duo hurtled out of the store's front door, leaving it wide open. Jessie hunkered back around the corner of the building to avoid being seen. He saw one of the men turn back while the other crossed the street, with a suspicious look etched on his face. After a moment's pause he shrugged his shoulders and stowed his pistol away, then continued after his accomplice who carried a black sports-bag at his side. When they disappeared into the night, Jessie carefully straightened up from his crouched position and gazed up and down the deserted street. _No one in sight._ Jessie's heart hammered in his chest ready to burst out of his rib cage. His legs shook as he rounded the corner and entered the store. A weak moan sounded ahead of him where the oriental man lay bleeding on the floor. Approaching the figure, he dropped to his hands and knees. He reached out a trembling hand and touched the man's arm. "I'll c-call for help, mister. Just-just hold on, okay!" Scrambling to his feet, Jessie's keen grey eyes searched the premises for a telephone. When he couldn't find one, his mind began to panic. Gulping down a lungful of air, he raced behind the counter and pulled aside the drawn beaded curtain, revealing an office style room. There on the desk beside some paper work was an old telephone. The frightened boy snatched up the receiver from its cradle and dialled for the operator. "I need an ambulance quickly! Please hurry!" He cried out into the phone, gripping the handset so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

"Can you tell me your location?" the operator asked calmly.

Jessie informed the operator the address of Mr Lao's antique store but in his haste the operator failed to hear it in full and he was asked to repeat it.

"An ambulance is on its way. May I have your name please?"

"My name?" Jessie asked blankly before the implications of his would be answer hit him and he slammed down the receiver then ran back out into the store towards the front entrance. Turning his head back, he took one last look at the prone wounded man on the floor. Not watching where his feet were taking him, Jessie bumped against a table in front of him. Instinctively, he raised his arm and almost took down the display of items on the table. By reflex, Jessie's head spun back to face the direction he was heading and stopped the array of ornaments from toppling off the table with his hands. One object caught his immediate attention. It was the silver music box that had captivated his sister's heart. Without a second's thought, Jessie grabbed the box and hid it inside the large side pocket of his hoodie. The next thing he knew, Jessie was pelting down the sidewalk toward the Church that was his sanctuary and the only place he called home.

 


	2. All I Want For Christmas

_**Chapter 2: All I Want For Christmas  
** _

_Eleven days until Christmas Day, HonolulAu, 1971_

Snapshots were taken of the crime scene as police officers and forensics experts canvassed the store and the surrounding area for evidence. A black Ford Mercury was parked nearby and two men dressed in suits conversed beside it.

"What have we got, Chin?" the tall detective inquired.

"Homicide and robbery. Two gunshot wounds. One in the chest and one in the back. Both fired at close range with a .38 Caliber. This is the second case this week. Both fit the same MO. The first victim was Peter Chang, owner of the jewellery store two blocks away. He was also shot twice at close range and died at the scene. Duke gave me the details." The shorter, stockier detective replied grimly, then closed his note book and faced the man before him. "Steve, I came here late yesterday afternoon, before closing time, to buy Lin a gift for Christmas. Mr Lao, the victim, owns the store."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Chin. The Governor is also growing concerned with the higher rate of street crime in the area. These robberies should not have resulted in the store owners to meet such violent deaths. Did you notice anything strange yesterday while you were here? Were there any suspicious people in the store?" Steve McGarrett asked urgently.

"No I was the only one…wait, there was a little girl but she was only five or six." Chin shook his head as he replied.

"Was she with anyone? Her parents? Did they come in?" Steve pressed.

"No, but her brother did. He was about Tim's age, maybe younger." Chin answered as he thought back on the details.

"What were they doing in an antique store?" Steve wondered aloud.

"The little girl was playing with a music box of some kind. Mr Lao didn't take too kindly with her and that's when her brother came in."

"How do you know they are related, Chin?"

"Mr Lao told me. He said he was familiar with them and that they were street kids who shop lifted the stores in the area. Steve, they were only children. They couldn't be involved in something like this!"

"I'm not saying they are, Chin, but you were probably one of the last customers of the day if not the last. We can't rule out the possibility that these kids may have seen something or someone in the area. Danno!" Steve spied his second in command exiting the store and called out to him.

"Yeah, Steve?" Dan Williams responded.

"Who found the body?" Steve asked.

"Paramedics. They arrived within ten minutes of an emergency call placed at the scene of the crime. Duke checked with the operator. According to her, the caller sounded like a boy. She said he seemed pretty scared and hung up when asked to provide her with his name." Dan informed.

"Okay, thanks, Danno. Has anyone informed Mr Lao's family yet?"

"Not yet. I'll get on it, Steve."

"Good, Danno." Steve nodded as Dan made his way toward Duke on the sidewalk. "Chin, I need a description of the two kids you saw in the store yesterday. It's possible they were still in the area when the crime took place. If they're not involved, they could very well be valuable witnesses in need of our protection, not to mention they could have vital information. It's possible that boy you saw made the call. I'll meet you back at the office." The head of Five-O met Chin's worried gaze. He could see the father in Chin Ho Kelly surfacing and hoped it wouldn't affect his duty as an officer of the law. At the same time, Steve couldn't deny that Chin would be the best person in his unit to question the children as soon as they were found. A patient and understanding father, Chin was well experienced in the role with eight children of his own.

"Right, Steve." Chin acknowledged with a hint of a heavy heart in his voice then headed off toward his car.

The tall no-nonsense detective walked up to the store, ducking underneath the tape that cordoned off the area and entered the crime scene.

* * *

After a sleepless night, Jessie Summers leaned back against the wall and watched his sister in a peaceful state of slumber. He had returned without money or a fresh supply of rations. He knew they were running low and would have to go out to pick up something to eat for Emily at least. Not wishing to take her with him, Jessie decided to leave her a note to stay put until he got back. A stirring Emily changed his plans. There was no way he was going to risk her following him today. Not after what happened last night. Emily was drawn to the antique store and it became a place for her to visit daily. Sometimes when the old man was looking, she stayed outside studying the music box for as long as she could before her brother found her and pried her away from the window. Jessie trusted Emily to wander freely down South Hotel Street, as long as they were within earshot of each other in case she ran into trouble. He couldn't let her see him casing out stores to pick up supplies or beg for money if he grew desperate at times when store owners expected his quick hands to pocket their goods. Today he couldn't allow Emily to be seen around the area. He couldn't allow himself to be seen either! He'll have to travel further out to another part of town, some place his face wouldn't be recognized. Emily had to stay behind and there was only one way of making sure she did just that and not feel like a prisoner. He wanted to wait until Christmas to present _it_ to her. When he bought them a tree to have it placed under. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulled out the silver music box and stared at it ruefully as it brought back memories of the wounded shop keeper from the previous night. _I should've stayed with him! I should've tried to help him. What if he's dead? What if he died because of me? I could've tried to stop the bleeding! Damn it!_ Remorse gripped him and Jessie's shoulders shook as tears of guilt and sorrow threatened to spill unbidden. _I left him to die!_

"Jessie?" a sleepy mumble pulled Jessie back to the present. Yawning, Emily stretched her arms up above her head then rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey, sleepy head!" Jessie cleared his throat and wiped his eyes with his sleeves. He had quickly shoved the small music box back into his pocket so that the little girl wouldn't see until he was ready. "I've got a surprise for you!"

"Really? What is it? Is it a tree, Jessie, is it? Is it?" Unable to contain her excitement, Emily rolled to her hands and knees and crawled her way over to her brother, peering up into his face.

"No but it's better than a tree!" Jessie replied enthusiastically as he scooped her up into his arms and held her close to his chest. "But you gotta promise me something first, okay?"

"Okay, I promise! But can we still get a tree? You promised, remember?" Emily pleaded.

"Yeah, of course we'll still get a tree. I haven't forgotten. Now, I have to go out today to do some important grown-up things. I can't take you with me today. I need you to be a good girl and stay here until I get back. I'll be back as soon as I can but it might not be until after lunch time. I still have cereal for you to eat for breakfast and that banana. There's still enough bread and cheese to eat for lunch and some soda. When I get home, we'll have something different for dinner, okay?" When Emily nodded, Jessie continued, "Promise me you'll stay here and don't open the door for anybody."

"U-huh. I promise." Emily nodded her head vigorously and snuggled up closer into Jessie's arms. "Can I see my surprise now?"

"Close your eyes. No peeking!" Jessie gave a playful grin then slowly drew out the music box from his pocket and brought it up to her face. "Okay, you can open them now."

"Wow! The music box! Oh Jessie! For me?" Emily gasped in pure delight at the sight of the precious object held before her.

"Yeah, for you, silly!" Jessie laughed and shifted his weight beneath her to get into a more comfortable position.

"Oh thank you, Jessie, thank you!" Emily took the music box in her hands and kissed her brother on the cheek then whispered in his ear, "I love you, Jessie."

"I love you too." Before the words even left his mouth, Emily had bounded off his lap and taking the music box with her, she sat down on her make shift bed which consisted of an old foam mattress covered with a torn bed sheet and a thin knitted blanket. Jessie looked on as his sister wound up the key on the back of the box then opened up the lid and watched in awe at the tiny figure of a ballerina slowly pirouetting in front of the mirror on the underside of the lid. Jessie climbed to his feet and picked up his back pack from the floor. As he passed Emily, he patted her head and told her to lock the door after him, then left the church once more.

* * *

The door to McGarrett's private office swung open and Chin Ho Kelly entered briskly followed by Dan Williams with a file clutched in his hand.

"Steve, I got the results from those prints Che dusted in Mr Lao's antique store. I ran them through HPD and get this. Apart from Mr Lao's prints, the only other set found on the telephone belonged to a kid named Jessie Noah Summers. His prints were also found on some items at the front of the store. He's fifteen years old. Duke checked with Juvenile Justice System and found his records. He's done some community service for shop lifting six months ago and also served time in Juvenile for break and entering a jewellery store a year ago. He was given a three month sentence but served thirty days for good behavior. There's no record of him assaulting anyone." Dan recalled his findings to his boss who sat listening intently at his desk.

"Anyone run a background check on the kid's family yet?" Steve asked his two detectives.

"Already done, Steve. Jessie Summers has a younger sister, Emily. She's five years old. Their father is serving time on Maui and the mother was a junkie. She abandoned them and ran off with some guy to the main land. Jessie was just twelve years old when he was left to fend for himself and look after his sister. Child welfare placed Emily in foster care during his time in Juvenile but her foster parents gave her up when Jessie was released and he took her with him. They didn't report the incident until a welfare worker did some checking. Apparently there was evidence of child abuse taking place in the household which explains why they never reported her missing. Some charges were laid but little else was done to try to find the children. It looks like they've been living on the streets any way they can." Chin recounted the facts from his note book. "You don't think Jessie killed and robbed the store, do you Steve?" Chin asked.

"No, Chin, at this stage all I want to do is find Jessie so he can tell us what took place. I won't discount the possibility he was involved in the robbery but his MO doesn't fit that of a murderer. He needs to account for how and why his finger prints came to be where they were and why he ran. More than likely, he's a potential lead to this investigation whether he's a witness or a suspect. We got a job to do, gentlemen. We've got to find these kids and fast!" Steve rose from his seat and grabbed his jacket from the coat tree. "Danno, send out an APB on Jessie and Emily Summers. Chin, see if anyone saw where they went or knows of their whereabouts. Ask the people on the streets and the store owners along South Hotel Street. Let's go." Steve relayed his instructions then led his men out of his office.

* * *

Surfing through the channels absent mindedly, Nick Holloway almost choked on his beer when the news reader showed the pictures of two children on the screen with the headline stating, _Witnesses To Antique Store Murder._ "Hey Tom! Check this out! They're saying we got us some witnesses to that Cong we nailed last night!" The burly young man called out to his accomplice who ran out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"No way, man! There was no one there!" Tom snapped in disbelief as he listened to the newsreader.

"I thought I heard something outside the store last night! We'll have to take care of those kids. Little bastards gonna ruin everything!" Nick growled, crushing his empty can with his hand and throwing it against the wall.

* * *

The sounds of laughter and the clanging of pots and pans from the kitchen, filled the father of eight's ears as he stepped over the threshold of his home. After working long hours for most of the week, the head of Five-O saw his detective look too beat to pull another late shift and sent him home. Though Chin was grateful and appreciated the gesture, he couldn't help but feel he was neglecting his duties as the team were dealing with some difficult cases that demanded closure before Christmas was truly upon them. One case that stood out above all the rest was the murder of Mr Lao. He wondered if his feelings were heightened since he was in the store a couple of hours before the murder took place or if it was due to the two children who were wanted for questioning. The information on the Summers kids background did play itself over in his mind and he couldn't help but feel drawn to them.

As usual his youngest child, Tilda, was the first to greet him by springing into his arms. Expecting this, Chin bent down and picked her up into his arms, spinning her around which caused her to squeal in delight. Chin continued down the hall, stopping short of the living room when he saw his two eldest daughters perched on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn between them, their eyes glued to the television set. Chin smiled and kept walking toward the kitchen with Tilda in his arms.

The aromatic smells of ginger and shallots wafted from the kitchen making Chin's mouth water. Pangs of hunger made his stomach growl audibly which made Tilda giggle. As if on queue, Lin turned around from the hot stove counter, a spatula in her hand, and smiled up at her husband. "You're home early! I hope you're hungry."

"Steve told me he didn't need me today. I didn't complain!" Chin smiled broadly as he walked up to his wife and kissed her on the cheek, bringing forth another round of giggles from the little girl in his arms. "Mmmm, that smells delicious!" Taking a deep breath, Chin inhaled the aroma emanating from the wok. Tilda squirmed in his arms, not taking to the sounds of sizzling too kindly and Chin complied putting her down.

"Sweetie, why don't you show daddy our tree?" Lin winked at the four year old girl.

Tilda's face broke into a huge grin and grasped her father's sleeve, beckoning him out of the kitchen. The doting couple laughed warmly and as Lin returned her attention to her cooking, Chin allowed himself to be dragged away.

* * *

Alia and Susie rose from the sofa and stretched as the credits rolled on the television screen signalling the end of the feature. Yawning, Susie turned around as two sets of footsteps sounded behind her. "Hey Dad!"

"When did you get home? We didn't hear you come in?" Alia added as she walked up to the television set and turned it off. Meanwhile, Amy's form appeared from the front of the sofa where she has sat on the floor hidden from view.

"I just got home. What were you two watching?" Chin asked, interestedly.

"Scrooge," Amy piped up.

"We missed it last year when it was first shown. Is dinner ready?" Alia asked with a hand placed on her rumbling stomach.

"I'm guessing, from the smell, dinner should be ready soon. Your mother is still busy in the kitchen. I thought you girls would be full of popcorn by now." Chin replied grinning then looked around, puzzled. "Where's Tim, Gabriel, Maria and Thomas?" Just as the words left Chin's mouth, two boys aged twelve and ten almost ploughed into him as they raced into the living room, laughing boisterously.

"Whoa! Gabriel, Thomas!" Chin called out, shaking his head at their care free nature, as the boys landed on the sofa, pushing and shoving each other in all manner of playfulness.

"Hey Dad!" Gabriel greeted enthusiastically.

"You seen our tree yet, Dad?" Thomas answered breathlessly.

"No, not yet…" Chin began but was interrupted by another voice eager to be heard.

"Maria's at Sarah's place for dinner. Oh and Tim's on the phone in his room so mind your voices when you pass it down the hall. I think he's asking out Holly-something-or-rather and anyway, he said he needs some privacy." Alia replied hurriedly and together she, Susie and Amy left the living room to wash up, ready for dinner.

"Daddy, daddy, look at our tree! Look!" Tilda's small voice chirped, reminding her father of their reason for being in the living room.

Chin's face turned toward the far corner of the living room and sure enough there stood a tall, proud Christmas tree adorned with ornaments and glittering tinsel. The only thing that was missing was a bright star. A small pile of presents sat beneath the base of the tree, leaning against the stand. "Did you help mommy decorate it, honey?" Chin bent down and asked Tilda.

Tilda nodded her head vigorously, beaming as she did.

"You did a beautiful job!" Chin took his daughter in his arms and planted a soft kiss on her cheek then straightened up. He held her hand and together they took a few steps closer towards the tree, admiring its beauty. Though they could not afford a real pine tree, Chin was thankful to have a tree for his family, nonetheless. "Where's our star, sweet heart?" Chin asked, curiously.

"Thomas broke it!" Tilda turned around and pointed accusingly at her brother who was still wrestling Gabriel on the sofa.

"It was him, not me!" Thomas jerked his head at Gabriel who shook his head.

"Na-uh! He grabbed it and made me drop it!" Gabriel retorted which started an all too familiar chorus of _"It was him. It wasn't me,"_ between the three children.

Chin rolled his eyes and sighed in relief when Lin's voice brought an end to the bickering. "Dinner's ready!" Without further a-do the two boys flew off the sofa and raced toward the dining room with their father calling after them, "Don't forget to wash your hands, boys!"

Chin glanced back at the tree and thought back on the children who were now caught in the middle of a murder investigation. He wondered if the little girl, Emily ever had the chance to decorate a tree before she was left without a home.

"Daddy? Dinner's ready," Tilda tugged at Chin's sleeve, bringing him out his reverie.

"Okay, sweetheart, let's go before mommy rings uncle Steve to send out an APB!" Chin's joke was lost on the small child's face.

"Huh? What's ABB?" Tilda asked inquisitively.

"It's a special code daddy and uncle Steve use to find someone who is missing…." Chin found himself interrogated by his youngest daughter as he switched off the light and left the darkened room.

 


	3. In Pursuit Of Happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks to all who read this story so far (I know this is a very busy time of year and I appreciate the time spent reading this) :)

_Ten Days Until Christmas Day, Honolulu, 1971_

The lead detective slammed the morning paper down on his desk with such force that several pages became dislodged and flew on to the floor. "How the hell did this get out? They had no right to print this! It's bad enough these kids have their faces all over the news last night."

"Maybe da story leaked through HPD, Steve." the young Hawaiian reasoned.

"Kono, I want that leak found and I want it sealed up so this doesn't happen again!" The storm that was McGarrett ran its course.

"I'll get to da bottom of dis, boss." Kono promised then hurried from the office. He let out a low whistle as he passed Jenny's desk.

"The boss having a bad day?" Jenny asked.

"You can say dat again!" Kono replied before heading for the door. On his way out, he almost bumped into the Chinese detective, Chin Ho Kelly.

"You're in a hurry, Bruddah!" Chin commented, smiling up at his big friend.

"Steve just saw da paper." Kono called back as he disappeared out the door.

Chin hadn't the chance to read the paper yet and wondered what Kono meant. After greeting Jenny, he knocked on Steve's door and entered upon his response, closing the door behind him.

"What's this about the paper, Steve?" Chin inquired as he walked up to his boss's desk. Steve, who stood behind it, passed the offending article to him. The black and white stills stared back at Chin and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. The headline read, _Faces of Innocence: Witnesses In Antique Store Murder_ , "How?"

"Because it's head-line news, Chin! Some idiot couldn't keep his big mouth shut, that's how!" Steve vented.

"But, Steve, we don't even know for sure if this boy or the girl were at the store when the murder took place. All we know is from the prints we found on the phone and what the operator told us, Jessie placed the emergency call _after_ Mr Lao was shot. How could they publish this?"

"It doesn't matter. These parasites don't care if they were there or not. Let's face the cold, hard facts; if an old wino witnessed the crime, do you think they'd give him the light of day? No, Chin. But kids? Kids are something else. Their innocent faces cry out for public appeal and sympathy. All the media care about is top news equals top dollars!" Steve's voice carried out to the outer office once more. He shook his head and sat down, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. "Chin, did you find out where these kids could be residing? Can anyone tell us anything about them apart from what we already know?"

"Sorry, Steve. No one has been able to tell me where they think we can find these kids. They were last seen leaving Mr Lao's antique store shortly before I left the day of the murder. No one seems to care enough except when shop owners want to make a complaint against them. So much for the media attracting public support." Chin's voice portrayed his own frustrations and disbelief over the lack of compassion that the local people felt towards the children.

"Unfortunately the public eye can be very one sided and people are often blinded by their own selfishness. Time is running out for those kids, whether they are witnesses or innocents drawn into this mess. We have to find them, Chin, before it's too late!"

"But where do we look first?"

"Check out old apartment blocks, abandoned warehouses, anywhere the kids could use for shelter. It's likely they would not be staying far since they appear to be well known in the neighborhood." Steve instructed.

"Okay, Steve. I hope we do find Jessie and Emily before any harm comes to them." Chin replied then left the office to carry out his duties.

* * *

"Can I please come with you today? _Please_ , Jessie?" Emily pleaded as Jessie got dressed for his job interview with the dock master.

"Alright, you can come, but you gotta stay outa sight, okay? No wondering around." Jessie sighed and relented. He knew he couldn't leave his sister alone at the church every single day. After a quick breakfast of dried fruit, they headed out to the docks.

"Okay, how do I look, kiddo?" Jessie brushed his unruly blond locks back off face with his fingers and smiled nervously at his sister who gave him a thumbs up.

"Wish me luck! Stay here until I come and get you. Don't go anywhere and don't talk to any strangers." Jessie left Emily behind a disused warehouse at the docks, out of sight of the general public as he made his way to the dock master's office.

When Jessie disappeared from view, Emily pulled out her music box from her bag and sat it on top of a wooden crate. She opened the lid and hummed to the tune that it generated. Little did she realize the melody carried out to the ears of two young men wondering the docks in search of two witnesses to the crimes they committed two nights ago.

* * *

"That's the _girl!_ " Nick hissed as he nudged his friend's arm and gestured toward a small blonde haired girl entranced with a music box. They knew apart from the cash, it was the only item listed as missing from the robbery of the antique store. They also memorized the photos of the two children shown on the news coverage and on the front page of the papers.

"Where's the boy?" Tom whispered.

"Don't know. Let's continue walking and keep a lookout. We can't do 'em in out here. We'll follow 'em until they get to someplace quiet then we get 'em." Nick replied with an evil glint in his eye.

* * *

Jessie walked out of the dock master's office with his head hung low. He'd only been in there less than five minutes when the dock master apologized and told him he'd already found somebody else who suited the job. Jessie politely accepted the heavy-set man's decision but he wasn't looking forward to telling Emily the news. It was yet another unfulfilled promise. As he neared the place where he left his sister, Jessie saw to his horror Emily winding up the music box that he'd distinctly told her to leave back at the church. He didn't want them caught in possession of an item taken from the antique store.

"Hey kiddo, I thought I told you to leave the stupid music box at home!" After being turned down the job and dreading telling Emily the news Jessie's anger got the better of him and he flared up at once. "What do you think you're doing? Do you want them to take you away from me again?"

Emily was at a loss for words. Her lips quivered and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Put it away! We're going home, _now_!" Jessie didn't wait for Emily but kept walking away from her. He didn't want her to see his own tears slowly running down his face which to him felt like a furnace ready to blow. He was so angry and ashamed with himself, he didn't notice two men watching his every move from a distance.

Emily hastily packed her music box into her bag and ran after her big brother, her tears falling silently down her reddened cheeks. Her smaller steps failed to keep up with Jessie's larger strides and she lagged further behind.

* * *

The long walk back to the church was interrupted when a man stepped out from around a street corner with a cigarette held in the corner of his mouth. "Got a light, kid?" He asked as he barred the boy's way.

"Sorry, no." Jessie muttered as he tried to brush past him. Suddenly recognition hit him as he remembered the man before him was the same man he saw shoot the antique store owner the night before last.

"In a hurry, kid? How about some loose change, huh?" the man persisted to block the boy's path. He placed a hand firmly against Jessie's chest and looked him in the eye.

"No," Jessie's breath caught in his throat and his words were lost in the wind. His anger dissipated to be replaced with sudden fear. _Did he see me that night?_

"Hey Tom, look what we have here!" The man called out to his companion who crossed the street at a casual run and stopped beside him.

"Well, well, well. Small world, huh, Nick? What's the matter, kid? You don't remember me? Where's that music box, kid?" the man named Nick drawled, his face only inches away from Jessie's.

Jessie knew in that instant he had to act quickly. Turning his head to look behind him, he yelled, "Run Emily, _run_!" Having taught Emily how to respond to dangerous situations and where to go, the small girl's eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open in shock but her feet were already carrying her off in the opposite direction. The dark haired man barring Jessie's way grappled with the boy who somehow managed to free himself and shoved the slighter man beside him away. Trying to make sure he didn't lead the men in the direction of his sister, Jessie ran straight ahead and turned the next corner heading for a busy street.

Regaining his balance on the sidewalk, Nick motioned for Tom to go after the girl, while he took care of the boy.

* * *

Not daring to slow down, Jessie turned his head back and saw to his despair only one of the men was chasing him. _No. Please, God, don't let them get her. She's all I have, please!_ Jessie prayed over and over as he ran as fast as he could. Stealing another glance at his pursuer behind him, he saw to his horror the man had pulled out a gun and was aiming it in his direction. Almost reaching the busy street ahead of him, Jessie's heart skipped a beat when a shot rang out behind him. Stumbling over his own two feet, he didn't dare slow down until the sight of an old run down warehouse filled his vision. He stepped off the curb and crossed Ala Moana Boulevard, weaving through the traffic of the bustling street. Cars honked their horns and their drivers yelled abuse at the terrified teenager who ran out in front of them. Jessie's breathing grew ragged and his aching legs were slowing down. He heard a bus passing behind him and hoped he lost the man who tracked him down. Too exhausted to run much further, Jessie turned into a narrow street and turned again, before pausing to recover his wind. He leaned against the wall and peered around it. _No one_. He closed his eyes and listened carefully for the sound of footsteps. _Nothing_. A stitch caused him to hold on to his side with one hand. As the pain grew in intensity, Jessie also felt a warm wetness oozing through his fingers. He took his hand away from his side and held it up to his face. Crimson liquid coated his fingers. Looking down, Jessie could see a dark stain soaking through his pale blue shirt.

* * *

The lanky young man, Tom Baker, quickly halted in his tracks and pretended to blend in with the crowd as he saw the little girl he was chasing enter a supermarket filled with shoppers. He watched her approach one of the cashiers. Swearing under his breath, Tom knew he had no choice but to abandon his chase and find his partner. He ran back toward the place he left Nick and found him with his hands on his hips, red in the face and shaking his head furiously.

"Lost him!" Nick snapped.

"We gotta split! The girl's gonna bring down the pigs on us!" Tom declared. More curses followed and both men decided it was time to move. "Let's go."

"I think I got the kid anyway. I couldn't tell for sure, damn bus got in my way but I think he's hit. If he is, he won't get very far and who's gonna believe a five old's testimony?" Nick replied a little too smugly as they quickened their pace and headed back to their hotel room.

* * *

Stumbling into the church, Jessie Summers called out his sister's name. "Emily? Emily? It's Jessie. _Emily!_ " A rising panic settled in his gut and for the second time in his life, he realized he faced losing his sister again. This time he prayed it wasn't her _life_ he had lost. As he reached the room where he and his sister had turned into their own living quarters, his eyes glanced wildly around but there was no sign of Emily. A wave of dizziness washed over him and he slowly made his way, unsteadily to the neat pile of blankets and pillows that served as a makeshift bed, he shared with Emily. The wound in his side burned and ached fiercely. Exhausted, Jessie allowed himself to collapse on to the blankets and he lay curled up into himself. Waves of agony that had nothing to do with the bullet wound, washed over him, rendering him in a state of utter hopelessness. _Emily. I failed her, again! Failed to keep her safe! It was my job to protect her. Please, please let her be okay._

* * *

Pressing down on the intercom button, Jenny's voice sounded, "Steve, I have duke here with Emily Summers."

"Send them in, love." Hawaii's top cop answered.

The door to Steve McGarrett's office opened and the silver haired HPD sergeant entered holding a child's hand in his own. "Steve, she was found in the supermarket on Merchant Street and the manager called her in. A few customers and the sales staff recognized her from the papers and the news."

Steve gritted his teeth but forced down his anger as he took in the frightened look on the child's small face. She tried to hide behind Duke's arm and Steve's throat constricted at the sight of her tiny form. He rose to his feet and stepped out from behind his desk. He crouched down in front of the figure and placed a hand, gently, on her shoulder. She stiffened beneath his touch and looked away. "Easy, easy. Sweet heart, I know you're scared but can you tell us where your brother is? He might be in trouble and we want to help him." Steve coaxed in a low voice. After waiting a few moments for a response, Steve straightened up, not knowing how to question the child further without causing her more distress.

"Has a doctor seen her?" asked Steve.

"She got checked out by Dr Embry, the pediatrician. She's a little dehydrated and malnourished but apart from that, Doc says she's pretty healthy for someone who's been living on the streets." Duke reported.

"Okay. Has Emily said anything since she was found?"

"No. She hasn't said a word."

"Okay, Duke, get her something to drink and eat. I'll see if Chin can get through to her when he gets back." Steve sighed and returned to his desk, excusing the sergeant.

"Right, Steve. Come, _kaikaina_." Duke gently led the child out of the office.

The phone rang and Steve picked it up. The operator informed him of a dispatch coming through from Chin Ho Kelly. "Okay, put him through. Go ahead Chin."

"Steve, a shot was heard near Ala Moana Boulevard. Witnesses saw a boy matching the description of Jessie Summers in the area. They said he was running and almost got hit by traffic in both directions. It sounds like he was being chased." Chin reported.

"Did the witnesses see anyone who may have been chasing the boy?"

"Two people saw a man, Caucasian, medium build with shoulder length brown hair giving chase but no one knows what happened or where he and the boy went once he crossed Ala Moana Boulevard."

"Okay, Chin. Listen, Emily's been picked up. She's with Duke but she isn't talking. She's scared. Where are you now?"

"I'm on Alakea Street. I can't see anything on the map to indicate buildings that Jessie could be hiding in." Chin replied through the mike. "Wait. I think I just saw something."

"What is it, Chin?"

"Looks like an old church. Strange. It's not on the map."

"Check it out, then I want you back at the office. Maybe you can get through to the little girl." Steve ended the conversation and hung up the phone.

* * *

Chin drove up to the church and parked alongside the curb. Exiting the LTD, the seasoned detective walked up to the front door and was surprised to find it was unlocked. As he opened the tall, carved wooden door, Chin drew his hand away and rubbed his fore finger with his thumb. A sticky red substance was smeared over his finger. _Blood?_

Chin drew out his pistol and carefully stepped inside, keeping his eyes on the look-out for any movement within the large hall. He continued past the dusty pews illuminated by light shining through the kaleidoscopic stain glass windows. Chin looked down and saw small flecks of what looked like blood spread along distant intervals on the wooden floor boards leading to a door to his right. From what the reports indicated of the alleged shooting and the fleeing boy, Chin hoped that Jessie was not another victim of a callous shooting. Reaching the closed door where the trail of crimson ended, Chin turned the door handle and pushed the door open, only to be stopped by a sliding chain lock. Peering through the gap between the door and the frame, Chin could make out a body lying on the ground. The detective stood back then kicked in the door, breaking the chain lock. The door flew open and banged against the wall. Chin hurried into the room, all the while keeping his guard up as his eyes scanned the interior for any hidden dangers. The figure on the floor stirred then rolled to its feet.

Upon hearing the noise of splintering wood and someone breaking in, Jessie's eyes flew open and he clambered to his feet, wincing from the pain flaring in his side. A middle aged oriental man, dressed in a grey suit, armed with a gun stood in the room looking at him.

Chin quickly stowed his gun away seeing the frightened look in the boy's eyes. He recognized him immediately as Jessie Summers. He held up his hands and spoke in a calm voice, "Easy, Jessie, easy. I'm detective Kelly from Five-O. I'm not going to hurt you." The cop inched his way toward the boy who stood in a semi-crouched position and kept backing away from him.

Jessie took several deep breaths then dashed forward and tried to charge his way past the detective toward the open door. In his weakened state, Jessie had no chance of fighting off Chin's strong grip around his shoulders. In a last attempt to free himself, Jessie threw a wild punch aimed at the detective's face but Chin ducked in time and brought the boy down to the ground, using as little force to do so as possible. Chin didn't want to harm the youth but he also needed to calm him down. "Just take it easy! I'm here to help you."

Jessie cried out in pain as he landed on his injured side and he doubled over. As the boy's struggles diminished, Chin relinquished his hold and gently turned the boy over. "Are you hurt?"

"Are you really a cop?" Jessie gasped breathlessly beginning his struggles once more as he tried to scramble to his feet once again.

"Hold it! If you stop struggling I'll show you my badge." When Chin felt the teenager grow still, he pulled out his wallet and flipped it open, showing him his badge.

"My sister," Jessie paused to swallow then continued, "Where is she?"

"She's safe. I promise you. You can see her soon, but first show me where you're hurt." Chin's caring voice won him the boy's trust. He could see the blood seeping through Jessie's torn shirt. Carefully, Chin lifted up the material and examined the boy's side. A jagged gash tore along Jessie's lower ribs. Chin could also see angry bruising surrounding the wounded area. He pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it gently against the wound. Jessie flinched and Chin placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him still. "Who did this to you, Jessie?"

"How do you know my name?" Jessie countered suspiciously. Although he believed the man was a cop, Jessie wondered how and why he came to find him.

"Do you remember me from that antique store on South Hotel Street a couple of days ago?"

"Yeah, I think so. You do look kinda familiar." Jessie thought back to the night he wanted to forget and recalled the detective's familiar face.

"Mr Lao, the owner of the store was killed during a robbery that night. Were you the one who found Mr Lao and called for help?" Chin paused to allow Jessie a chance to open up to him. He avoided mentioning how he found him to give the boy the opportunity to be honest with his answers.

"Yeah." Jessie broke eye contact and turned his head to the side. A burning lump manifested in his throat and he swallowed down hard to clear it. He had prayed since the moment he ran from the antique store that Mr Lao would be alright.

"You did the right thing, Jessie, by calling the paramedics." Chin could see the guilt in the boy's demeanor.

" _Did I?_ Did I do the right thing?" Jessie turned his head to face Chin once more and rounded on the detective. "I stole from him! I left him to _die_! I didn't even try to…to…and now they're after Emily, because of _me_! It's my fault. All my fault." Jessie's voice faltered and he fell silent, breathing hard.

"Son, you can't blame yourself for Mr Lao's death. You can still help him and his family find justice and peace by helping us catch those responsible for the tragedy."

"What will happen to Emily?" The question left Jessie's mouth before he could stop himself. He knew the answer as soon as the thought entered his mind but he wanted the detective to tell him that all would be well and he would be with Emily again, as if nothing had happened. That he and Emily would spend their Christmas together in their own fortress of solitude, for the church was their safe haven. _The safest place on Earth._ The words he'd spoken to Emily came back to him.

Chin knew what Jessie was thinking. It was the very concern any loving parent would have if their child was taken away from them to be owned and raised by the State. Jessie was not just Emily's protective and loving brother, he also played the role of a parent who tried to do what was right. Jessie would be devastated to hear what the future held for his sister and himself but Chin's heart told him the boy deserved to know truth. "Jessie…" The detective was spared from trying to find the right words to reveal Emily's fate by Jessie's anguished cry.

 _"Don't!_ I already know."

"Let's get you to the hospital." Knowing there was nothing more he could say to reassure the boy of a future he yearned for, Chin helped Jessie to his feet and together they left the church in silence.


	4. A Hero in the Making

At the sound of the first ring of the telephone, Steve McGarrett snatched up the receiver as he sat behind his desk with Jessie Summers' file placed in front of him. "McGarrett."

"Steve, it's Chin,"

"How is he, Chin?" Steve knew his detective was talking about young Jessie Summers who was brought in to Queens Hospital after he was discovered by Chin, with a suspected gunshot wound to his side.

"The doctor said he was lucky the bullet only grazed him. They're keeping him over night on sedation. He's pretty shook up." Chin replied.

It was clear to Steve, from the tone of Chin's voice that the cop was genuinely concerned for the boy. "Was he able to tell you who took a shot at him?"

"He gave me a good description of two men he ran into on the street before they chased him and his sister, including the man that was armed. He said he recognized the men as the same ones he saw in Mr Lao's store. From what Jessie told me, he believed these men were going to kill him and Emily to silence them." Chin revealed.

"I don't doubt that's what they had in mind, Chin. Send out an APB based on Jessie's descriptions of them, right away! I'll bring some mug books to the hospital. Maybe Jessie can make a positive identification."

"Steve, there's something you should know. Jessie is clamming up. He's been asking for Emily. I promised him, he could see his sister if he continued to co-operate with us. The boy seems to want to trust me but every time he begins to open up, he withdraws again." Chin's worried sigh could be heard on the other line.

Steve took a moment to gather his thoughts then opened up the manila folder in front him, before replying, "I can't say I blame him, Chin. He's been through enough pain, injustice and neglect in his life, it's no wonder he is experiencing trust issues. I went over his records again, today. It appears our young friend was once tried and convicted of a crime he never committed. A year ago, he was supposedly _seen_ breaking and entering into a jewellery store but fled empty handed when he triggered the alarm system. Not only was the evidence circumstantial at best and the so-called witness sounded like an unreliable drunk, but the boy's alibi was never taken into account or checked. In his statement, it reads he was singing Christmas carols outside of St Joseph's church to earn him enough money to buy a Christmas tree. Now, I made a phone call today to Father Michaels. He remembered Jessie because he stood listening to the boy until he was too hoarse to sing any longer. The law failed Jessie Summers when no one bothered to call Father Michaels to verify his whereabouts. According to Jessie, he left Emily at a shelter because he didn't want his sister to know why he was singing Christmas carols. He wanted to surprise her by gathering the money needed through charitable means in order to purchase a tree of their own. With no one who could defend him, Jessie pleaded guilty after breaking down in front of the judge. He spent Christmas Day in a juvenile detention center." Steve finished recounting and closed the file, waiting for Chin to respond.

"Steve, it's going to take a lot of work to undo what's been done to him psychologically. Frankly, I'm not sure where to start." Chin was saddened by what Steve had just told him and at a loss on how to handle the situation.

"Chin, Jessie is going to need the kind of help we can't give him in the long term, but right now, as long as those men are still out there, his life is in danger and so is his sister's. He needs someone he is comfortable opening up to. Someone who understands children because deep down, he is still a boy who has been forced to grow up too soon. I want you to do what you do best by being that person for him. You said it yourself. Jessie _wants_ to trust you. Then let him. I'll get Duke to bring Emily to the hospital. In the meantime, I want Jessie's room guarded around the clock until those two men are sitting in a locked cell!"

"Already done. As for Jessie, I'll do what I can."

"I know you will, Chin. I'll be over as soon as Danno gets in to mind the fort, which should be any moment now." Steve shook his sleeve up to inspect the time on his watch then ended the call.

* * *

The door to the guarded ward of Queens Hospital opened, revealing a small girl accompanied by a silver haired police officer. Jessie's face broke into a weak smile and he tried to sit up but the drugs in his system made him feel too groggy to make sudden movements. "Hey." He settled for shifting onto his side with his arms held open.

"Jessie!" Emily pulled away from Duke Lukela and flew into Jessie's outstretched arms, sobbing. "I'm s-sorry! I shouldn't have…I shouldn't have…the music box. Don't go away, Jessie, please don't go away!"

Ignoring the sharp pain that erupted in his side, Jessie held her in his arms tightly. "I'm not going anywhere, kiddo. I'll never leave you like that again!"

"That's what you said last time Jessie but you _did_ go away!"

"Last time was different. It won't happen again. Come on, look at me." Jessie held Emily's tiny form away from him to better look at her. He raised his head above the pillows and noticed that she was dressed in clean clothes and her hair smelled of shampoo. "Look at you. The prettiest, little angel in the whole wide world! Angels don't cry." Jessie's smile widened as he wiped away the tears that streaked Emily's face. From the corner of his eye, Jessie was grateful when he saw the policeman walk out the door and closing it silently behind him. He wasn't sure how much time he had to spend with Emily for he knew it wouldn't be long before they came to take her away from him again. _I can't keep doing this to her._ Jessie wondered how much longer he could keep lying to the one person that meant the world to him.

* * *

The head of Five-O met Chin in the waiting room of Queens Hospital. In his arms, he carried a box containing a series of volumes of mug books. "Howzit Chin?"

"I sent out an APB a little while ago on those two men but so far no word yet. Duke's outside Jessie's room."

"Is Emily in there?"

"Yeah. We figured they could use some time alone until you got here."

"Well, I'd hate to break up the reunion but it looks like we're gonna have to." Steve sighed heavily then started for Jessie's room with Chin in tow.

"Steve, Doc says we only have a half hour at the most with Jessie. He's been given some pain killers and mild sedatives to help him rest." Chin informed his boss as they reached the door to Jessie's room.

"Well, we'll just have to make do with the time we have and hope that Jessie can find us a match before his doctor kicks us out."

* * *

A light knock on the door was followed by another and Jessie took his eyes away from Emily's. "Come in." He called out, downheartedly.

The door opened slowly, revealing a tall dark haired and immaculately dressed detective with his colleague whom Jessie met earlier right behind him. Together they entered the room.

"Can we have a few more minutes?" Jessie tried to sound casual but his request sounded croaky and he mentally berated himself for not being stronger in front of his younger sister.

"I'm sorry, son but I'm afraid this can't wait any longer." Steve placed the heavy box on a table at the foot of the bed and turned his head to give Duke a nod. The HPD sergeant walked into the room and headed toward Emily. "Emily, what would you say if we got us some candy?" He held his hand out, ready to take Emily's but the child tightened her grip on her brother's arm and shook her head.

"Jessie, please." The tall detective in the blue suit gazed into Jessie's eyes seeking his trust and co-operation.

"You know what, Em? I think I feel like some candy too. Why don't you go with the nice policeman here and pick out some candy for us?" Taking the hint, Jessie cajoled Emily to leave his bedside.

"Okay." Emily replied in a small voice and she got up, off the bed, allowing Duke to take her hand and lead her out of the room.

"Thank you, Jessie." Steve acknowledged the boy's efforts with sincerity in his voice before turning his attention to the matter at hand. "My name's Steve McGarrett and I'm from Five-O. I believe you already met Mr Kelly." Steve gestured toward Chin and Jessie nodded in confirmation. "We'd like you to take a look at some photos of people in these books and see if you recognize any of them as the ones who attacked you today."

"Am I in trouble?" Jessie switched his gaze between the two detectives nervously.

"With Five-O? No, we're here to keep you and Emily safe but in order for us to do that, you have to trust us. Can you do that?"

"Do I have a choice?" Jessie asked in a small voice.

"Everyone has a choice, Jessie. It's what we do with our choices that makes us who we are. We know how much Emily means to you. She depends on you to make the right choices for both your sakes." Chin took out the top most book from the pile in the box and walked up to Jessie's bedside, holding it out to him.

Sighing, Jessie stared at the book clutched in Chin's hand then reached out to take it. Chin glanced over at Steve who gave him a smile of encouragement as he passed the book to the boy. The older detective then pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed, eyeing the boy who flipped through the pages, carefully studying the faces on each one.

After the third book, Jessie's exhaustion and the medication in his system threatened pull him under. Seeing the boy straining to stay conscious, Chin reached out slowly to take the book away from him but was stopped by Jessie's sudden outburst.

"Wait! That man, here." Jessie pointed at a photograph of a young man with dishevelled brown hair and dark penetrating eyes. "He's the one with the gun. I saw him shoot the guy who owns the antique store!"

"Steve!" Chin took the book from Jessie and passed it to Steve, all the while pointing at the mug shot of Nicholas Brandon Holloway.

"Nick Holloway. I remember him. Two years ago, Danno and I booked him for breaking and entering plus two counts of assault, one of which was against a police officer. He'd only just been released a month ago!" Steve stood next to Chin and frowned at the picture of one their suspects.

"One more. There other man." Jessie mumbled as he laid back against his pillows, his eyelids drooping lower.

"You've done enough, son. Get some rest. We'll handle the rest." Chin leaned forward and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Before Steve could thank Jessie for his honesty, the youth was already fast asleep. "Let's go Chin. I'll get Danno to pull out an address from the computer for us. If we find Holloway, my gut tells me we'll find his accomplice." Steve opened the door and the two Five-O detectives walked out, leaving Jessie Summers to rest and recuperate from his ordeal.

* * *

It didn't take long for Five-O to obtain the room number and address of the run down hotel that Nick Holloway was residing in for the past two weeks. With a warrant for his arrest tucked away in his top jacket pocket, Steve McGarrett's jet black Mercury screeched to a halt outside the flea bag hotel. Chin's LTD followed by Kono's and two HPD back up vehicles parked close by, blocking the front and rear access to the building. After exiting their respective sedans, Steve directed the men into calculated positions. Kono and two HPD officers were to secure the back exit to stop the suspects from making a devious get away. Chin and two other officers were to take the front entrance with Steve leading the way in. Once inside, the lead detective quickly showed the hotel manager his badge then demanded directions be given to the room number in question. The sleazy middle aged man sporting a beer gut pointed toward the stairs and reluctantly spat out his directions. It was obvious to Steve, the hotel manager probably had something of an illegal nature to hide but he wasn't here for tax evasion issues or to tell the man his building was unfit to live in. Ignoring the manager's feeble attempts to protest having cops invading his premises, Steve, Chin and the officers continued up the stairs. As the four men reached the top of the landing, they quietly made their way down the hall with their bodies positioned close to the walls on either side. When Nick Holloway's room came into view, the men drew out their firearms and pressed their backs against the wall as they edged their way to the door. Chin and Officer Kokua positioned themselves on the opposite side of the door frame while Steve stood to one side and reached his arm across, rapping his knuckles on the craggy wood. When no response could be heard, Steve called out, "Five-O! Open up!" On his count, his men braced themselves as he stepped away from the wall and kicked the door in. A split-second later, the top cop was in a semi-crouched stance with his weapon pointing into the doorway. A gun fired and Steve dropped to the floor then rolled onto one knee, staying low to the ground as he aimed the barrel of his pistol at the shooter. "Drop it!"

Seeing he was severely out-numbered, Nick decided to obey the command and let the gun slip from his fingers. The revolver fell with a clatter to the floor. Before Steve could rise to his feet fully and retrieve the weapon, a young Samoan HPD officer saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. A second man had risen from behind a sofa with a hunting knife held in his hand. Officer Kokua stepped forward, without hesitation, in front of Steve McGarrett just as the man drew back his arm ready to throw the knife at the detective. The young officer fired one round which caught the knife wielding man in the shoulder causing him to cry out in pain and fury. The wounded man dropped the knife and collapsed on to the floor, clutching his shoulder in agony.

Steve picked up the gun and stowed it into his pocket as Chin made a bee-line for Nick Holloway and frisked him for concealed weapons. A smirk appeared on the young man's face which caused Chin's blood to boil. _This was the man that hunted down two children! The gun-man that Jessie Summers had identified as the culprit who killed Mr Lao in cold blooded murder._ In all his years of experience carrying a badge, Chin had never felt a deeper sense of loathing and disgust for anyone than he did for Nick Holloway. However, it was those years of experience and the faces of his family floating in his mind's eye that prevented him from behaving unlawfully. Taking deep breaths to steady himself, Chin pulled Nick's arms behind him, none too gently, and placed hand cuffs around his wrists.

"Book him Chin! Murder one!" Steve growled between clenched teeth as he looked Holloway in the eye.

"Oh yeah? Prove it! No one saw me killin' anyone." Nick spat, sneering at the detective who matched him for height.

"Then why are we here? I have no doubt we'll be able to match the bullet that killed Mr Lao, and maybe even Mr Peter Chang to the one you just fired from your revolver. Murder one is just for starters. I have a feeling there'll be a whole list of other charges by the time we're through with you, including attempted murder of a minor and resisting arrest. Shall I go on?" Steve's glare burned like searing coals into Nick's eyes and the young offender's smirk was wiped clean off his stubbled face. Steve read him his Miranda rights then barked, "Get him out of here Chin! The sight of him is turning my stomach."  
"Let's go!" Chin's booming voice resonated off the walls as he held one of Nick's biceps while Officer Martin took hold of the other and together they marched him from the hotel room.

"Tell Kono to call for an ambulance." Steve called out to the retreating men's backs as he approached Officer Kokua who knelt by the wounded man writhing on the floor. He had a hand placed over the wound to staunch the blood flow.

"His name's Thomas Baker." Officer Kokua passed Steve a worn out and tattered wallet with his free hand.

"Book him." Hawaii's top cop bore no sympathy for the man who lay whining in pain on the floor. There was only one thought of admiration that presented itself in Steve's mind at that moment, which revolved around the young HPD officer who had just saved his life by carrying out an act of bravery. He'd heard from Chief Dann, the Samoan was a fast learner and a good man. There were times he assisted Five-O in cases involving HPD support but it wasn't until he threw himself in harm's way today that Steve knew from that instant, Ben Kokua would one day make a fine addition to Five-O.


	5. All About Steve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some scenes were inspired by one of family's favorite movies, "The Three Fugitives".

_Nine Days Until Christmas Day, Honolulu, 1971_

A knock on the door caused Jessie Summers to turn around as he buttoned up the crisp white shirt he'd been given to wear by Steve McGarrett. "Come in." He called out.

The lead detective of Five-O entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"Thanks for the shirt." Jessie told the detective as he buttoned up the cuffs.

"I'm glad it fits." Steve McGarrett replied with a crooked smile. "Take a seat, Jessie." He gestured to the bed as he stood facing the teenager who cast his eyes down and sat on the edge of the mattress. "I thought I'd let you know that we have enough physical evidence to put Nick Holloway and Thomas Baker away for a very long time without putting you on the witness stand. No one needs to even know you were a witness. I've spoken to the judge and he agrees, given your age and the circumstances. There'll be no leaks through the media this time. As for the music box we found in Emily's possession, Mr Lao's family will not be pressing any charges." Steve paused allowing Jessie time to process the information.

"Thanks." Jessie stole a brief glance at the detective before returning his gaze to the floor.

Steve decided it was time to hit him with the heart of the matter. _Emily_. "I've delayed child services from picking up Emily. I thought you'd like to have a moment alone with her first. She's a bright kid, Jessie. I think it's time you told her the truth. The legal emancipation age in this State is eighteen. You have less than three years to wait until you're free from the State's responsibility. After that, you can get yourself settled with a steady job and a roof over your head then you'll be able to apply for custody of Emily. In the meantime, they assured me they'll find her a good home. It's only for a temporary basis. Her foster parents would be told of this."

"How do I explain that to a five year old girl? _They'll find a good home for her,_ detective. Then, she'll forget all about me and what right do I have to take her away from a life she deserves?" Jessie looked up into Steve's steel blue eyes, feeling the world crashing down around him.

"Jessie, I don't believe for one _second_ that Emily would _ever_ give up on her big brother! You've made it this far, she'd be disappointed to hear you giving up on her like this. You mean everything to that little girl and no foster home could ever replace you." Steve could see that Jessie was dying inside and he felt powerless to stop it. He walked over to the bed and sat beside the boy.

"It's only three years, right?" Jessie's voice cracked as his eyes burned with tears he tried desperately to hold back but failed. He tore his eyes away from the detective and he took one deep breath after another in an attempt to control his emotions.

"What's three years, Jessie, compared to all the years you'll have to spend together?" Steve placed a hand on the youth's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze before rising to his feet. "I'll let Emily know you're ready to see her." He crossed the room and opened the door.

* * *

Detective Chin Ho Kelly watched the small child clutch the velvet brown teddy bear to her chest in a tight embrace. He had bought the soft toy on his way over to the hospital from a gift shop. Written in gold embroidery on its chest was the word, _Emily,_ encased in a red heart. Hearing footsteps, Chin looked up and saw Steve walking toward him. Rising from his crouching position, the Oriental detective gave Steve a wan smile in greeting.

"Jessie's ready to see her, Chin." Steve nodded.

"Sweet heart, let's go see your brother!" Chin took Emily's hand and started walking her toward Jessie's room. Steve walked beside them. He knew Chin had much to say about the situation, however, the case was closed and the children were safe. Their lives were out of their hands.

Chin opened the door and allowed the little girl to head straight into her brother's arms before closing it again to give them their last moments together.

"It's not fair, Steve. There's got to be something more we could do for them. If it wasn't for Jessie, who knows how many more innocent people, would be killed before we catch Holloway and Baker?" Chin took a stand to argue his point.

"Chin, I know you've gotten pretty close to these kids, but the rest of Hawaii needs us too. It's not our job to…" Steve began as they walked down the corridor passing an orderly along the way.

"Steve! I've been on the force for over twenty years. I don't need a lecture on how to do my job!" Chin's sudden and uncharacteristic outburst caught Steve by surprise.

"Don't you think I know that, Chin? But the fact is, we're not social workers. You're a good cop and one hell of a detective. I just don't want to lose you, that's all." Steve paused in the corridor, facing Chin who was already looking ashamed for his retort.

"I'm sorry, Steve. I don't know what came over me." Chin apologized regretfully. "I guess when I look at Emily and Jessie, I see my own children. I see Tilda and Tim and I wonder how anyone could ever abandon their own kids! You told me that the law failed the boy once before, well, it's failing him again. I understand that Jessie is still a child himself and not financially capable of looking after Emily, but to separate them? I can only imagine what that would do to them!"

"I understand how you feel, Chin, but it's not our call to decide what is best for them or how the State should handle their case." Steve kept a level of calm in his voice as he tried to make his most experienced detective see through his reasoning.

Chin sighed in resignation and resumed walking down the corridor, leaving Steve behind him lost in his thoughts.

The no-nonsense detective wondered over to the door of Jessie Summers room and peered inside the small window. He could just make out Jessie's voice as he watched the scene play out between the two siblings.

_"Emily, there's something I have to tell you and I need you to be a brave girl and to try to understand, okay? Can you do that for me? Here, sit down. I want you to listen to me very carefully. Sometimes, grown-ups have to go away for a while…_

Not wishing to pry into the children's parting words to one another, Steve sighed and headed for the cafeteria.

* * *

_Five Days Until Christmas Day, Honolulu, 1971_

For the last four days, Steve noted Chin's preoccupied mood was causing him to distance himself from the team. To Steve, there were no questions about it that his senior detective had become far too involved in the case involving the Summers' kids. He had never seen Chin this way before and it gnawed at him until his head pounded with an oncoming migraine. The lead detective decided some fresh was in order and he pushed his chair away from his desk as he rose to his feet. He reached for his sports coat from the coat tree then headed out of his office.

"I'll be out for a little while, Jenny. Please take down any messages while I'm gone. If it's a matter of urgency, Danno can be reached on his radio." Steve instructed his secretary who looked up from her typewriter.

"Sure, Boss." Jenny replied, eyeing Steve's retreating back inquisitively before shrugging her shoulders and returning to her typing.

_*** ! *** _

Cruising along the Pali Highway, Steve found himself turning off into Pacific Heights Road where an historical looking building stood overlooking the street bordered by wrought iron fencing. Bringing his Ford sedan to a halt outside the gatehouse, Steve left the engine running while a guard approached the driver side window. It didn't take long for the formalities to be addressed when the detective flashed the guard his badge and the gates were unlocked allowing passage into the grounds of the orphanage.

Steve felt a strange sensation like a heavy load was being lifted off his shoulders and the ache in his skull had eased to a dull throb. Entering the administration lobby, he approached the reception desk and waited until the disinterested woman behind the desk looked up from her magazine. "Can I help you? The woman asked unsmilingly as she removed her reading glasses from the bridge of her nose. Steve observed the woman before him who appeared to be in her early forties and could be described as attractive if not for the cold scowl etched on her striking face. She was dressed in a conservative fashion complete with a dark brown blazer over a ruffled cream blouse and she wore her ash blonde hair in a tight bun atop her head.

"Yes, I'm Detective Steve McGarrett, Five-O. I'd like to see two children whom I understand were registered here four days ago." Steve showed his badge to the formidable figure who gave it a quick glance before she addressed him in a sharp voice.

"Names?"

"Jessie Summers and his sister, Emily Summers.

"Have you made an appointment, detective?"

"No. I was under the impression that since these kids assisted with our investigations that Five-O would not be required to make an appointment." Steve replied crisply as his patience began to wear away with each question the woman threw at him.

"Mr McGarrett, our organization takes matters of security and integrity very seriously. What you are requesting goes against strict regulations. Unless you have a court order, you're going to have to schedule an appointment if you wish to see any of the children registered here."

Steve's teeth grinded together in an effort to hold back on words guaranteed to have him legally thrown out of the premises. " _Mrs?_ " Steve left the word hanging in the air in a form of a question and raised his eyebrows.

" _Ms_ Crowley. I'm in charge of this institution while Mrs Hendricks is away on vacation."

"Ms Crowley," Steve began, feeling a nerve twitch dangerously in his cheek at the abruptness in Ms Crowley's manner. "I am here both on police business and on a personal level. Unfortunately in my line of work, as head of Five-O, my demanding schedule does not always permit me to schedule appointments during standard business hours. I can obtain a court order, should you insist upon it, which would entail a series of complex documentation to be signed on your behalf. Such documentation would cover me should I be required to re-schedule my appointment due to unforeseen circumstances requiring my immediate attention. Now, I can see that you're a busy and aspiring woman and I'd hate for the judge to inconvenience you by authorizing my appointments to be held well outside of business hours, especially with the holidays approaching." Steve had chosen his words carefully and felt satisfaction creeping through him as he drove his point home. By the tight lipped expression on Ms Crowley's face, Steve was confident that working outside of her nominal working hours did not agree with her lifestyle.

"This is highly irregular but a court order is not necessary, _this time_." Ms Crowley replied stiffly with an icy glare boring into McGarrett's unyielding gaze.

"Thank you, Ms Crowley."

"I'll escort you myself to the girls dormitory. Most of the children are out in the playground at this time but Emily has opted to stay indoors." The tall, slender woman rose from her seat then turned around and reached for a set of keys hanging from a hook on the wall behind her. She then stepped out from behind her desk. With her head held high, she led the way through a door to her left and down a lonely corridor; her pointed heels click clacking on the polished floor.

* * *

The large dormitory housed rows of single beds along the length of two walls. Steve noted there were only two children in the room who sat with their backs turned away from the doorway. Both were blond and looked similar in size and age. He made his way to one of the children closest to him who cradled a teddy bear in her arms as she sat on the edge of her bed. Upon closer inspection, he saw the name _Emily_ adorned on the plush toy's chest.

"Mr McGarrett. That's _not_ Emily. She's over there by the far wall." Ms Crowley's cold voice stopped the detective in his tracks.

Without turning around to face the woman, Steve stated matter-of-factly, "That teddy bear belonged to Emily. It was given to her as a gift before she was brought here."

"No child has the right to ownership of personal belongings during their stay here. We ensure that every child is treated equally and fairly. That in turn means sharing toys, books and in some cases clothing. This institution houses two hundred and sixty five neglected children or shall we say orphans. We may be small compared to institutions on the other islands but we have no room for jealousy or rivalry." Ms Crowley informed the detective.

Steve merely nodded, his brow furrowed solemnly. He continued to walk toward the end of the room where a slightly thinner child sat on the floor with a broken crayon in her hand and a piece of paper held against the ground using her other hand. "Emily?" He called out softly. The child whirled her head around and studied the tall man towering over her. "Sweet heart, do you remember me? Mr McGarrett?" Steve knelt down beside the child so that he was eye level with her crystal blue eyes. Emily nodded then returned her attention to her drawing. Steve looked over her small shoulders and saw a crude picture resembling a Christmas tree and two figures beside it, holding hands. It didn't take a detective's mind to work out that Emily had drawn the picture perfect image of the very dream she ever wanted to come true. _A real Christmas with the most important person in her life. Her big brother, Jessie._

Steve stayed with the little girl, asking her the usual questions one might ask a child her age during the holiday season until Ms Crowley consulted her watch and told the detective she was due for lunch in fifteen minutes. Steve said his goodbyes to Emily and gently brushed her free-falling hair from her eyes.

"Where's the boy? Jessie Summers." Steve asked as he exited the dormitory.

"This way, Mr McGarrett." Ms Crowley instructed bluntly as once again she led the way, this time up a staircase to the upper level of the building. Stopping at a locked door, Ms Crowley used one of the many keys she carried on the over-sized key ring to unlock the door. "Due to Jessie Summers' anti-social behaviour, he's been removed from his dormitory and will be confined in this room until he learns to show respect toward the other children." The dislike in the woman's voice made Steve's fists clench at his sides. He wanted to grab her by the shoulders and yell into her stony features that she was not running some sort of a prison camp. But the sight of Jessie sitting on the bed with his back against the wall and his face buried in his knees which were drawn up to his chest, drove the thought from Steve's mind.

"You have five minutes." Ms Crowley declared without feeling.

Steve ignored the heartless woman who waited outside the door as he entered the room and sat at the end of the bed. Jessie did not look up or show any sign that he cared who was in the room with him. "Jessie?" Steve placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as he called out his name in a low voice. He could feel Jessie's muscles becoming rigid beneath his touch as he tightened his arms around his legs.

"Leave me alone." Jessie moaned in misery.

"Jessie, I just saw Emily." Steve knew the only thing that would bring about the boy's attention was the mention of his sister's name. He was therefore surprised when Jessie remained silent and unmoving. _Something's wrong._ Steve gripped the boy's shoulder in a firmer hold. "Jessie, look at me. What is it, son?"

Slowly, Jessie raised his head up from his knees and Steve drew in a sharp intake of breath at the boy's gauntness and the purple bruise below one eye. His grey eyes had taken on a dull and almost lifeless stare about them. Steve's first impression of the boy upon their first meeting was that of a tough looking kid. He remembered Jessie was not a scrawny boy by any means. In fact, his height and broad-shouldered stature made him appear older than he was. Living it rough, had made him tough, were Steve's preliminary deductions of young Jessie Summers. Now all the detective could see was a sleep deprived, broken human being in a beaten down shell. There was no sign of the boy who displayed such unforgettable courage and determination during his plight only days ago. He could see this place had extinguished the fire within him.

"Jessie, what happened to you?"

"What would you care? You're done with us. You got what you wanted. _It's only three years._ Well, I don't think you'll find me here waiting that long, _detective!_ " Jessie's harsh tone cut into Steve deeper than he could ever anticipate.

"Son, you've got to hang in there. If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for Emily. She hasn't given up hope. I know it's hard and I can't even begin to imagine what this place is doing to you but that little girl is counting on her big brother to pull through. You're the only reason why she hasn't given up. Don't let her down, Jessie." Steve gave the boy a consoling pat on the back. "I'll come by and see you again in a couple of days. I expect to see you out of this room and get some food into you before you scare your sister. You're going to spend Christmas day with her Jessie. Do you hear me?" The seriousness in Steve's voice struck a chord in the boy who looked up at the detective. "If you promise me you'll take better care of yourself, I'll do what I can to bring the two of you together for that one day. While, I can't guarantee anything, I'll do everything in my power to make it happen. You have my word, Jessie." Though Jessie remained silent the fervent words spoken by the detective brought a minute spark back into the boy's eyes. For the first time in days, a glimmer of hope returned into his heart.

"Time's up, detective." Ms Crowley's voice brought an end to the visitation and Steve's eyes locked on Jessie's in a wordless goodbye before he stood up and silently walked out the door.

* * *

Entering his office after his drive back from the orphanage, Steve found Dan Williams perched on the edge of his desk with the phone receiver clutched in one hand.

"I'll let him know, Sir….hold on, he's just walked in. I'll put him on." Dan held the phone receiver out to Steve as he mouthed the words, _the Governor_.

"Sir." Steve acknowledged as he held the receiver to his ear.

"Steve, I've been trying to reach you for over twenty minutes! No one could tell me where you were." Governor Jameson's authorative voice issued through the receiver.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I needed some air." Steve met Dan's questioning gaze and he had a feeling that his second in command would be asking questions later.

"Steve, do you remember Judge Chamberlain?" Jameson asked, brushing aside Steve's excuse.

"It rings a bell. Does this have to do with the Walters case?"

"No, actually she rang me to ask if I was familiar with the Summers kids. I saw your report on my desk this morning and told her you were the one who handled an investigation involving them. Apparently, her sister, Dr Heather Logan, was drawn to the case and has been following it through the media. She did her own background research on the kids, hiring private investigators and speaking to someone from your unit though she never mentioned who. She was able to track down their family tree and coincidentally she's discovered the Chamberlains are distantly related to the children's lineage. I was told Dr Logan and her husband are in the process of adopting the children. They wanted to thank you, personally for finding them."

Steve couldn't believe what he was hearing as he stood gripping the phone too stunned to speak.

"Steve?"

"Yeah, I'm still here, Sir." Steve's dark mood brightened considerably at the prospect that Jessie's and Emily's days of misfortune were coming to an end. "Have you read through my report, Sir?"

"No, I only just got back from my conference but I did glance over it briefly. What is it, Steve?"

"I wasn't the one who found the children, Sir. It was Chin and I'm positive he'd be honoured to accept the gratitude. The case meant a lot to him and he did everything he could for the children involved. If there was anyone in Five-O who was involved in bringing together the Logans with the Summers, it would be Chin, Sir."

"Good. I'll let Dr Logan know." Jameson ended the call, leaving Steve in high spirits on the other end of the line.

"What was all that about?" Dan asked curiously.

"Nothing short of a miracle, Danno." Steve replied, a smile forming on his lips. Suddenly the day was looking brighter as the holiday season brought forth renewed hope and faith for the lives of two young children, Jessie and Emily Summers.

 _Chin was right. He refused to give up because he believed his responsibilities stretched further than simply putting away a couple of crims behind bars. He did what he did because cared for every innocent life he touched. And I couldn't be more proud of him._ McGarrett's smile broadened as he gave Dan Williams a pat on the back then left the office leaving a bemused young man in his wake.


	6. When You Wish Upon A Star

_Three Days until Christmas Day, Honolulu, 1971_

Dan Williams paused in mid-step on his way to Steve's office as he watched Jenny hanging an ornament of some kind on the wall hanger in between Dan and Kono's cubicles.

"What's that?" Dan asked the perky secretary, smiling.

"Mistletoe." Jenny grinned up the sandy haired detective who began to blush. "It's just a decoration, Danny." She began to laugh at Dan's awkwardness.

"Oh. That's okay then." Dan replied just as Kono entered the outer office.

"Did I miss something?" the Hawaiian asked as he approached his colleague.

"Jenny's got us a mistletoe, Bruddah." Dan slapped Kono on the back, grinning broadly before heading for Steve's office.

"A what?" Kono's mouth hung open and he looked inquiringly at Jenny.

"It's just a decoration, Kono!" Jenny rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

* * *

"Thank you Sir. Yes, I'll let Chin know. He'll be thrilled to have Jessie and Emily over for Christmas. Thank you, I appreciate it. Good day, Sir." Steve hung up the phone and looked up to find his second in command standing in front of his desk.

"Good news, Steve?" Dan queried, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, Danno. The Logans' flight from The Big Island has been delayed and they may not make it in time for Christmas. The Governor has kindly authorized for documentation to be drawn up and signed giving Chin temporary guardianship until the Logans arrive in Honolulu." Steve recounted.

"That's great!" Dan beamed.

"Yeah, it is, Danno. The kids aren't aware of the Logans. They only know that they'll be spending Christmas Day with Chin and his family."

"That'll be one unforgettable Christmas present." Dan whistled.

"That's the idea." Steve smiled at his second in command.

A knock on the door was followed by the appearance of the oriental detective, Chin Ho Kelly. "Steve, I finished the report on the Patterson case."

"Thanks, Chin. Take a seat, I have some good news." Steve gestured for Chin to sit in front of his desk. Ever since Steve had delivered the news to Chin that the Logans were taking in Jessie and Emily into their home permanently, Chin's disposition changed remarkably compared to the last couple of days when he conducted his duties in a semi-detached fashion.

"What is it, Steve?"

"What do say to spending Christmas Day with ten children?"

* * *

_Christmas Eve, Honolulu, 1971_

"Dad!" The jubilation in Alia's voice as she opened the door rang out through the rest of the house. "Hey mom, they're here!" Alia called out behind her. Thundering footsteps and excited voices made their way to the front door of the Kelly's home.

Jessie swallowed hard as he met many pairs of curious eyes peering through the doorway. He tightened his hold on his sister's hand as nervousness settled in his stomach. "Kids, calm down. You're scaring our guests." Chin hissed through the doorway as he sensed Jessie's unsettled nerves. He was grateful when he heard Lin's voice ushering the children away from the crowded doorway.

Alia moved to the side to allow her father and their guests into their home, all the while smiling broadly at Jessie who attempted to smile back but blushed deeply before turning his head away. "I'm Alia." The teenage girl extended her hand toward Jessie who felt he had no choice but to face the pretty Chinese girl before him and accept her hand.

"H-hi. I'm…" Jessie's voice was caught in his throat and Alia giggled.

"It's okay. Dad told me your name already. It's nice to meet you!" Alia replied cheerfully then leaned forward and cupped her hand in mock secrecy, whispering in Jessie's ear, "Between you and me, I'd be a little nervous if I met my family for the first time. They're a little overwhelming but they're okay." The teenager pulled back and her eyes found the small, blond haired girl beside Jessie. "You must be Emily!" Alia beamed, taking the girl's hand in hers. "May I?" Alia asked Jessie who continued to smile as he nodded.

Feeling slightly more at ease by Alia's confidence and spirited nature, Jessie turned and greeted the rest of the family while the the eldest Kelly daughter introduced Emily to her siblings. He shook hands with a boy named Tim and was pulled into a warm hug by Mrs Kelly. When he pulled away, he saw the last member of the Kelly clan hiding behind her mother's back, holding her hand and peeking around her mother's arm. Curious, yet shy, the youngest of the Kelly clan reminded Jessie of Emily.

"Hey, I'm Jessie. What's your name?" Jessie crouched down in front of the child who gave him a small smile then shirked away from the stranger before her and hid her face behind her mother's back. Jessie's smile broadened as he straightened. For the first time in his life, he'd never felt so much warmth toward him and his sister before. Not even from his own parents.

* * *

After dinner, Mrs Kelly gave Jessie and Emily a tour of the house and showed them where they would be sleeping. Emily was to share the bed with Alia and Jessie to take Tim's room while the eldest Kelly boy decided to sacrifice his bed and sleep on the sofa.

As the evening wore on, Jessie and Emily grew more vocal as their confidence lifted and their nerves settled. When Emily asked if they had a Christmas tree, Lin Kelly led the newcomers to the living room and showed them their tree. The little girl gaped in awe at the evergreen pine needles and the glittering ornaments that decorated the tree. A neat pile of presents sat around the base. But there was something missing. Emily's keen eyes noted the tree was starless.

"Where's your star?" Emily pointed up to the top of the tree.

Right on queue, Chin entered the room with Tilda in his arms. She held a brand new golden star in her tiny hand. She whispered something in her father's ear.

"That's very nice of you, Tilda." Chin said in a low voice and released his daughter from his arms. Hesitating, Tilda turned back, peering up at her father's proud face.

"Go on, sweet heart." Chin coaxed the child as he gently ushered her toward Emily and Jessie who stood beside the tree.

Tilda walked slowly toward the tree then when she reached Emily, she paused and held her out the star to her. Emily looked up at her brother, unsure of whether or not she should accept the offer. "Go on, kiddo." Jessie said encouragingly.

Emily slowly reached out her hand and took the star from Tilda's outstretched fingers. A silent message of friendship and understanding passed between the two youngest children. An unbreakable bond was formed sealed with a smile. The silence in the room stretched as Jessie lifted Emily in his arms but he was forced to put her down again and he winced in pain as he felt the stitches in his side pull. Before he could say anything, Tim broke away from his siblings and walked over to Emily. He placed his hands under her arms and lifted her up gently. Emily gasped in delight and placed the star on top of the tree. Tim gave Emily a kiss on the cheek after returning her to her feet. Jessie nodded his thanks to Tim who gave him a playful smirk in return. The silence around the room ended as cheers erupted and the children clapped.

* * *

Later that night, Emily awoke after a nightmare that left her in a cold sweat. She had dreamed that Jessie had left her. Looking around, she saw that she was lying in a bed next to a sleeping form of a girl about her brother's age. As her senses grew more alert, she remembered where she was but she knew there was no way she could go back to sleep without making sure that Jessie didn't leave her again. As quietly as she could, Emily climbed out of bed and went in search of her brother. She looked in on two of the bedrooms, only to find the stirring figures of Susie, Amy, Thomas and Gabriel in these rooms. Her heart started to pound harder and her hands grew sweaty as in her bleary state she started to wonder if Jessie really did leave her. Finally she opened the last door at the end of the hall and saw a figure sit up slowly in the bed. "Emily?" Came the groggy voice.

"I had a bad dream, Jessie!" Emily gasped then raced into Jessie's arms, burying her face in his chest as she started to sob.

"Hey, hey. It's okay. You're okay now. Do you want to talk about it?" Jessie kept his voice low as he held her in his arms, stroking her back.

"You were gone. You-you left me, Jessie. You left me! Don't leave, _please_ don't leave." Emily's shoulders shook, her cries muffled by his shirt.

"Sssh, it's okay, Em, I'm still here." Jessie closed his eyes and swallowed down his own tears. Tomorrow was their last day at the Kelly's. As far as he knew, McGarrett had kept his word about pulling strings so that he could spend Christmas with Emily. Though the thought of going back to the orphanage saddened him, he was also thankful to be given the kind of Christmas that he knew Emily longed for. He intended to make the most of it and bask in the happiness surrounding him. Within minutes, Jessie and Emily fell asleep in each other's arms, just like old times at the run down church that served as their home.


	7. A Christmas To Remember

_Christmas Day, Honolulu, 1971_

The sun filtered through every window of the Kelly home as the occupants stirred and activity within the house came to life. Jessie lay, with Emily nuzzled up against him, still sound asleep. At the sound of bedroom doors opening and shutting in the hall, Emily's eye lids fluttered open and she looked up into her brother's grey eyes. "Merry Christmas, sleepy-head." Jessie smiled down fondly at his sister.

"Is it Christmas already?" Emily yawned.

"Sure is. Come on, we don't want to miss the day by staying in bed." Jessie climbed out of the bed with Emily right behind him as they headed for the door. Jessie pulled open the door to find Alia on the other side with her hand raised ready to knock on the wood.

"Sorry!" Alia started then let out a sigh of relief when her eyes came to rest on the little girl beside Jessie. "Oh there you are! I was wondering where you were, Emily. Come on, we're opening presents." Alia took hold of Emily's hand and together the three children hurried along the hall and then down the stairs.

"Breakfast first!" Lin called out to the crowd stampeding toward the Christmas tree.

* * *

After a cheerful breakfast where Lin made pancakes with maple syrup, the family made their way into the living room and sat around the Christmas tree. The atmosphere was one of joyousness and excitement. Each member of the Kelly clan had placed a gift for Jessie and Emily below the tree. The girls had given Emily handmade trinkets and toys while Thomas, Gabriel and Tim gave her stockings filled with candy. Chin and Lin gave her a brand new sketch book with a set of crayons. Finally, Jessie was given an Aloha shirt by Lin and Chin while the children gave him an assortment of comic books and cookies which the girls had baked on Christmas Eve before their arrival.

A knock on the door disrupted the moment and curious glances were thrown toward the entrance hall as Chin rose to his feet from the sofa and walked out to answer the door. With a smile on his face, Chin opened the door. He already knew who was behind the door as he had received a phone call yesterday that he was to expect visitors.

* * *

As Chin Ho Kelly re-entered the living room, all eyes turned in his direction and silence befell the children. A smartly dressed couple in their early forties was led by Chin into the living room.

"Everyone, this is Dr Heather Logan and her husband Dr James Logan. Jessie and Emily, could you please step forward." Chin's serious tone caused curious and puzzled chattering to erupt in hushed tones amongst the children as Jessie and Emily slowly took tentative steps towards him. Jessie swallowed as his throat suddenly became parched _. Were they here to take us back to the orphanage? But it's too early!_

Seeing the boy's fear and nervous stance, Dr James Logan stepped forward and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you Jessie Summers, son?"

Unable to speak, Jessie merely nodded and licked his dry lips.

"And you must be Emily." The auburn haired woman, Dr Heather Logan, smiled warmly and leaned forward cupping Emily's cheek with her hand. As she straightened, she shared a knowing glance with her husband. _These are the children! They are more beautiful than the pictures._ The couple took note of the healthier glow in both the children compared to pictures they were given from the orphanage.

"Jessie and Emily, did you know you our distant cousins?" James asked mysteriously.

Jessie studied the doctor before him. He was a tall man with neatly kempt light brown hair and grey eyes behind a pair of thin steel rimmed glasses. "Really _?" Could it be? Is it possible?_

"That's right. It means you and Emily will be coming home with us, if you like, that is." James voice was kind and took Jessie by surprise. He wasn't accustomed to be assessed in such a way or even to be asked to choose how he wanted to live his life. Everything was always forced upon him.

"For Christmas, sir…Dr…Dr Logan?" Jessie responded, his words stumbling over each other. He didn't want to hold onto any false hopes.

"Not just for today, Jessie. You're welcome to stay with us as long as you and your sister wish." Dr Heather Logan chimed in as she reached her hand into her handbag and produced a folded document. She passed it over to the uncertain boy.

Jessie unfolded the documentation and read the contents. His eyes widened in bewilderment. He was holding a set of adoption papers which stated that he and Emily were now part of the Logan family. He looked up at the smiling faces of the Logans before him too stunned to speak.

"Jessie, you don't have to come home with us. You're free to choose, son but we would be very happy if you decided to become a Logan. No more living on the streets. You and Emily will never be separated again. You see, we don't have any children and if you choose to stay with us, we would treat you as our own. What do you say, son? Would you like to give us a chance?" Dr James Logan asked, sincerely.

"Mr Kelly?" Jessie's hesitation marred his features.

"Jessie, Drs Heather and James Logan are good people. You need not fear them. You and Emily will finally have a family, should you choose it. Dr Heather Logan is a professor at the Chaminade University and Dr James Logan is a heart surgeon." Chin tried to put Jessie's doubts to rest.

Nodding, the teenager exchanged glances with both the Logans before taking a deep breath. "This isn't a dream, right?"

"No, son, this is very real." Dr James Logan stated.

Jessie looked around the room and saw the smiling faces of encouragement directed his way. He gazed into Emily's eyes and saw his answer. Turning back to face the eager faces of the couple in front of him, Jessie replied in an unsteady voice, "Okay. I'd…I want Emily to have a home. I want to be with her, to watch her grow."

Grinning broadly, Dr James Logan pulled Jessie into a one armed hug while his wife picked up Emily in her arms. Cheers and laughter filled the room as everyone gathered around the newly formed family. For the first time in his life, Jessie felt safe, wanted and loved. He felt like a child again. His heart sang as he thanked God for answering his prayers and giving Emily the life she yearned for. The kind of life she deserved.

Chin Ho Kelly saw his wife Lin standing beneath a mistletoe and approached her with purposeful strides. Holding her in his arms, the Five-O detective whispered a Christmas greeting in his native tongue in her ear, "Sheng Dan Kuai Le." He kissed the love of his life and the mother of his children on the lips. Those around them were oblivious of the exchange as the spirit of Christmas Day enveloped their hearts and kept the dark clouds away.

PAU


End file.
